“Deal with the devil”: MFA Ukraine on Georgia-Russia rapprochement

This is stated in a comment by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, posted on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

Nikolenko noted that "Russia offers Georgia to make a deal with the devil, and in a deal with the devil, as you know, the devil wins."

"We are considering Vladimir Putin's decision to cancel Russian visas for Georgian citizens and restore air travel as political compensation for the refusal of the current Georgian authorities to impose sanctions on Russia, introduced over the invasion of Ukraine, as well as the slowdown of European integration," said the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He noted that Tbilisi's course toward normalization of relations with Moscow is taking place against the background of Russian occupation of 20% of Georgian territory, creeping "borderization," abductions of Georgian citizens, gross violation of human rights and freedoms in the occupied territories, and an ongoing inflow of Russian nationals into Georgia.

"The Kremlin receives concessions without taking responsibility for the grief it has inflicted on the Georgian people," Nikolenko stated.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that in 2008, Russian planes had already flown to Georgia – to bomb the civilian population.

"Now they are planning to bomb the European future of Georgians. Russia is not interested in Georgia's promotion to the EU and NATO, its prosperity and development. Moscow's goal is to create conditions under which progress would be impossible," Nikolenko warned.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs drew attention to the fact that the policy of rapprochement with the aggressor expectedly finds no support among a part of Georgian politicians and the population, and expressed support for Georgians in their legitimate will to build a prosperous European state within its internationally recognized borders.

"We call on the Georgian government to synchronize its policy toward Russia with that of the EU, as well as to refrain from actions that reject Georgia's further movement toward Europe," he concluded.

As reported earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin, signed decrees abolishing visas for Georgian citizens and allowing direct flights to and from Georgia.

Tbilisi officials welcomed Moscow's move and said it was in the interests of Georgian citizens who live in Russia and who had faced issues coming back to their homeland.

A rally was held outside the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday evening as protesters expressed outrage over the reaction by Georgia authorities.